Saturn Opposes Uranus
- October 2008 to August 2010

By Janet (Sparrow) Moon

The Odd Couple: Saturn and Uranus are like day and night when it comes to their zodiac personalities. Saturn is conservative and prefers the old tried and true ways, where Uranus loves to be original and sometimes even shocking. Put these two at an opposition, and we feel like we are being pulled in a tug of war.

If we try to lean toward the conservative, Saturn side, we will find ourselves nervous, edgy, and even bored. And if we try to lean towards the innovative and original Uranus, Saturn will pull out "Murphy's Law" and cause us to fail. I thought it would be interesting to take a look back in history, and see what happened during previous Saturn-Uranus oppositions to help determine what may be in store for us.

Saturn and Uranus are both slow outer planets. Saturn takes about 30 years to orbit the sun, and Uranus' orbit takes about 84 years. So, an opposition between these two only happens about every 45 years. And, the children who were born during Saturn-Uranus oppositions can be somewhat stubborn, fatalistic, and may suffer from chronic illnesses.

1738 - 1739

My first look at a Saturn-Uranus opposition was 1738 - 1739. The Methodist Church was formed. King George III was born. He was the King who the American revolutionaries fought against. Even though King George lost the American colonies, he helped bring Great Britain to a leading power in Europe. (A Saturn loss, but a Uranus win.) Also Dick Turpin, a famous burglar, thief, and robber was executed. Saturn represents authority figures. And, London experienced one of the most severe winters in history, the Great Frost, in 1739 just after this opposition ended. You can always expect the unexpected with Uranus.

1782 - 1784

The next Saturn-Uranus opposition was from 1782 - 1784. Uranus was discovered in 1781, just a few months before this opposition began. The Revolutionary War was ending, and the Treaty of Paris was signed. The last legal witchcraft sentence was handed down in Switzerland. The import of African slaves was banned by all the Northern states in the US. And, John Wesley chartered the Methodist Church in the US. Conservative Saturn and innovative Uranus were working well together during this opposition. Saturn helped to end the fear of witchcraft and the injustice towards Africans, and Uranus brought a new religion, and a new look at slavery and superstition.

1828 - 1830

The next Saturn-Uranus opposition occurred from 1828 - 1830. The first US railroad station opened. Joseph Smith founded the Mormon religion. The typewriter was patented, and the lawnmower began to be manufactured. The US Congress also authorized the removal of the Native Americans from all the states to the western prairie, and thus began the "trail of tears." And, in Russia, the Jews were expelled from Nikolayev and Sevastopol. Uranus was busy with many new inventions and new religions at this time, but Saturn was also determined to keep the conservative status quo, thus the relocation of Indians and Jews. Also there was the great fire of New Orleans in 1830, thought to be started by rebel slaves. Uranus was tickling the very beginnings of the emancipation (and eventually the civil rights) movement, even back then. And, many of the people born during this time, were the ones who fought in the Civil War.

1873 - 1875

Our next round in history occurs between 1873 and 1875. This opposition actually began with what is called a Grand Cross in astrology with Mars and Mercury, and around that time the US invaded the Philippines. Thus began US expansionism and imperialism, to be followed though by the children born during this opposition. Susan B. Anthony was busy campaigning for the women's vote, and Jesse James performed his first train robbery. Also, Black Friday occurred, where government bond agent, Jay Cooke and Co. collapsed causing the New York banks to close for 10 days due to scandal. There was also a battle between jobless and police in New York City with hundreds injured. P. T. Barnum debuted the "Greatest Show on Earth," baseball was first played in England, Levi Strauss began to market his blue jeans, the child labor law took 12-year olds out of the work force, and "Boss" Tweed was convicted of fraud.

There was also the first US kidnapping for ransom, and the first newspaper cartoon strip debuted. Uranus was encouraging this generation to try new things like baseball and kidnapping, but Saturn was there to bust them for testing their limits with bank closings and job losses.

1918 - 1920

Saturn and Uranus came to their next standoff from 1918 - 1920. Baseball, first played during the last opposition, was extremely popular by then, and Babe Ruth set his season home-run record. The Treaty of Versailles was signed ending W.W.I, the Nazi and the Fascist Parties were formed, Mae West made her musical debut, and the Spanish flu killed 21,000 Americans in one week.

As Saturn brought peace to the world, Uranus tickled the disgruntled Europeans, stimulating a Nazi mentality. As Uranus introduced one of the best known sex symbols of the twentieth century, Saturn reminded us just how susceptible we can be to an unseen virus. Gandhi was also very busy at that time with his resistance against the Rowlatt Act. Prohibition was ratified, and the Women's suffrage bill was passed. RCA and UPS began their corporations, and President Wilson had a stroke leaving him partially paralyzed. John Reed formed the American Communist Labor Party in Chicago, and less than nine months later President Wilson made the Communist Labor Party illegal. There were major race riots in Texas, Washington DC, and Elaine, Arkansas, and Walt Disney started his first job at the Kansas City Slide Co. Saturn told us not to drink anymore, and Uranus told us to let women vote. Needless to say, it was a time of change and a time of conservatism.

1964 - 1967

The most recent opposition between Saturn and Uranus was from 1964 to 1967. This aspect lasted a little longer than some of the others because of retrogrades, and this aspect was also different because Pluto lined up with Uranus. Pluto is the planet of death and rebirth, and many issues were dealt with in a passionate way at that time. John F. Kennedy was assassinated just a few months before this aspect began, and Martin Luther King Jr. was on his way to becoming a major voice for African Americans.

As I scrolled through the history logs, I lost count of all the nuclear tests that were being run by many major countries, and the Viet Nam War was growing and escalating at an exponential rate. Also the Space Race was in full swing, and the US and the USSR were sending probes and satellites to the Moon, Mars, Venus, and even towards Saturn. Uranus is the scientist, and Saturn is the drill sergeant, and Pluto is the amplifier. So, we raced for space, and we fought a cold war at the same time.

The Civil Rights Act was passed, the first BASIC program was run on a computer, Star Trek was introduced to TV, Pampers were patented, the first Spagetti-O's were sold, and Muhammad Ali took the heavyweight boxing title. Uranus comes up with "techie" and unique things, and Pluto's influence here was very strong. This was not your typical Saturn-Uranus opposition. The Watts riots in LA were probably spurred by Uranus and Saturn, but Pluto was there to fan the fire. The Medicare Bill was passed, and Tibet was made an autonomous region of China, an example of Saturn keeping order. There was also the famous New York blackout in 1965, and the Dow-Jones index hit a record high of 980 points.

Uranus is the electric planet, and he loves to surprise us. The first Jerry Lewis' Muscular Dystrophy telethon aired, and John Lennon met Yoko Ono. And, lets not leave out Frank Sinatra marrying Mia Farrow, talk about the odd couples, just like Saturn and Uranus.

2008 - 2010

So, what's to come? It looks to me like some things that began during one Saturn-Uranus opposition come to fruition during a subsequent opposition. The Methodist Church was formed during the 1738-1739 opposition, and it was expanding greatly in 1782-1784. Racial tensions were beginning during the 1828-1830 opposition, and they became massive during the 1964-1967 opposition. I am wondering if Tibet won't become a more influential political force over then next few years. Uranus, the independent thinker, is presently in Pisces, the spiritualist. Medicare was first introduced during the last opposition, and I really expect that our law makers will give it a whole new makeover before the next presidential elections.

Also some very powerful corporations began during Saturn-Uranus oppositions. There may be some new "ecological friendly" corporations starting up over then next few years that turn out to be major influences in the market before the next decade ends. Saturn, the authority figure, is in Virgo, the sign of hygiene. We may be finally ready to cleanup our act. I predict some of these fuel alternatives that are being discussed right now will probably be a major source in just a few years.

Our first year under the Saturn-Uranus struggle could also bring an end to the War in Iraq. Uranus is in Pisces, the humanitarian, and Saturn is in Virgo, the servant. But, we have to get busy and get the ball rolling, because by Fall 2009, we will begin to feel the effects of Pluto coming to a T-square with these two planets. It was bad when Pluto was conjunct Uranus back in '64 through '67, but when Pluto squares these two, things could get "nuclear." Pluto likes to destroy and rebuild, so get your politicians listening now.

We may be able to use this planetary influence to our benefit. If we get organized and get busy, get our politicians and corporations to listen, we may just leave our space a little better for the next generation. Or, we may give them a depression or even a major war to cleanup after. It's up to us.

Author Janet (Sparrow) Moon is a professional psychic and astrologer. You can visit her web site for more articles about upcoming events in astrology and to read her daily astrology general tendencies forecast. www.sparrowmoon.com/